Here is the legal brief the Iowa Freedom of Information Council filed in its quest to unseal documents and evidence filed in the wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the family of Autumn Steele against the City of Burlington and police officer … Continue Reading
Iowa’s “ag-gag” law should be overturned because it represents an improper erosion of free press rights in this state, a lawyer for the Iowa Freedom of Information Council and Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism says in a new legal … Continue Reading
By Andy Hoffman Burlington Hawk Eye DAVENPORT — Attorneys representing an Iowa watch dog group and lawyers for the Autumn Steele family joined forces Wednesday in asking a federal district judge in Davenport to unseal court documents in the wrongful … Continue Reading
The following column was written by Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council. The column appeared in several Iowa newspapers. The Iowa Legislature wrote some wonderful concepts into the state’s government transparency laws. For example: … Continue Reading
The Iowa Public Information Board approved an advisory opinion in July that encourages government agencies to make public the email addresses officials use to conduct government business. The action came on a 7-1 vote following several months of back-and-forth discussion … Continue Reading
Mark Ridolfi, assistant editor of the North Scott Press in Eldridge, recently received the Golden Quill award from the International Society of Weekly Newspaper editors. The award honored Ridolfi for his editorial column on changes the Iowa Legislature made in … Continue Reading
By Jason Clayworth Des Moines Register Iowa’s recently expanded gun law prohibits Polk County’s sheriff from revealing whether a man who accidentally shot and injured two people in Des Moines Sunday had a valid permit to carry the handgun. That man … Continue Reading
By Clark Kauffman Des Moines Register Ten of the nation’s 100 worst puppy mills are based in Iowa, according to a new report from the Humane Society of the United States. But federal policies make it almost impossible for the … Continue Reading
The Iowa Public Information Board continues to struggle over how to address a state government agency’s refusal to release the email addresses it uses to communicate with members of its governing board. Laura Belin of Windsor Heights writes the Bleeding … Continue Reading
The Iowa Public Information Board sent a strong message to government boards at its May meeting that such board should not use so-called “serial meetings” to keep the public out of discussions that should be occurring during public meetings. The … Continue Reading